


Pivot Point

by sanctuary_for_all



Series: The King and King of L.A. [1]
Category: Hit the Floor (TV)
Genre: Bonding, Fighting Feelings, M/M, Pre-Canon, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-28
Updated: 2016-02-28
Packaged: 2018-05-23 16:22:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,083
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6122314
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sanctuary_for_all/pseuds/sanctuary_for_all
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <em>He didn't say "You know you can trust me." Neither of them ever did, no matter how true it was.</em>
</p><p>The conversation that started Zero and Jude on the road to L.A. (Pre-canon)</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pivot Point

**Author's Note:**

> We've gotten hardly anything about Zero and Jude's relationship before we first saw them on the show, but the glimpses we've seen are absolutely fascinating. This is my attempt at filling in a piece of their history.

_2014_

The Ohio Bulldogs were one of the more wholesome teams in the NBA, particularly when it came to team captain, #1 player, and family man J. T. Malone. It was why Zero had started the Christian schtick in the first place, and why he was currently in a backyard with the rest of the team pretending that burgers, beer and shrieking children weren't the most boring possible way to spend an afternoon.

The one saving grace to the whole thing was Jude Kincade, who didn't understand the concept of "casual dress" and was probably smarter than anyone else at his agency. No one else seemed to have picked up on that last part, but when you got to know Jude you realized that was exactly the way he wanted it. After all, you could get up to a hell of a lot more trouble when no one saw you coming.

After exchanging some pointless small talk about church choirs with Malone's wife – she'd get a suspicious look in her eyes sometimes, like she could smell the sin on him, and it was best to keep her mollified – he headed over to the corner where Jude was hiding with a beer and a too-thoughtful expression on his face.

"You're brooding again, aren't you?" Zero teased, sitting down on the grass next to Jude and stealing his beer. He took a long, slow drink, then let Jude steal it back. "I told you, you've got to stop doing that."

"It's not like anyone else noticed," Jude shot back, taking his own drink. Zero deliberately didn't watch the way his throat moved as he swallowed. "This is like the fifth time you've dragged me to one of these things, and it's clear they still can't quite figure out what I'm doing here."

"Hey, I'm performing a civic duty." Zero stole the bottle again, just because he could. "If you had it your way, all you'd do is work and sleep."

"Sure." Jude's voice was dry. "But maybe next time do your civic duty someplace where we can get decent drinks."

Honestly, Zero knew he probably should have dragged Jude clubbing by now. He still had no idea what the kid's preferences were – he'd never caught him eyeing anybody of either gender – but a club full of beautiful people would answer the question quick enough. He wouldn't even have to worry about ditching him for a hookup, as long as he made sure Jude was occupied as well. Prep him with advice, get a few drinks in him to make sure he loosens up, and there'd definitely be someone interested in taking Jude home. Of course, Zero wouldn't have had the chance to vet them first, and they probably wouldn't know that you had to tease Jude out of his twitchiness....

"Zero? You still here?"

Zero smirked at him, ignoring the uneasy feeling in his chest as he shoved his train of thought firmly aside. "Wouldn't get you out of going to this with me, though. You're my agent – it's your job to save me from being bored to death."

" _Junior_ agent," Jude corrected, looking thoughtful as he swept his gaze over the crowd of people. It was almost the same look that he'd had before, but there was purpose in it now. Like a plan was coming together in his head. Zero had no idea why no one else ever seemed to recognize it. "It is pretty boring here, isn't it? Not just here – the whole city."

"I'd have to agree with that," Zero said easily, watching him. Waiting for the rest of it.

"And Malone's pretty much locked into the number one spot unless his game starts going downhill." Jude glanced over at him, voice lowering even further. "No way to throw him off his game, either. He's a hard guy to get leverage on."

There was no judgment in the words. There never had been, even when he'd first found out that Zero's devout exterior hid a scheming, ruthless asshole who had no trouble using people to get what he'd wanted. He'd just started taking it into account.

And somehow, Jude had become the one person Zero never tried to use.

Zero nodded. "That's also true." He wanted to urge him to get to the point, but Zero enjoyed the lead-up himself. He could indulge him.

"It's a completely different story with the L.A. Devils." Jude kept his voice easy, like they were talking about the weather. "All kinds of infighting. Someone who knew what they were doing could really have some room to work."

Zero felt his interest spike, old dreams stirring. "Really."

"Really." Jude smiled a little. "Plus, the women wear less."

Zero smirked. "Doesn't matter how many clothes they start with." He gave Jude a speculative look. "You think you could get me in?"

Jude smirked back. "I _know_ I could get you in. Maybe not for more than you're making now, but we can start ratcheting them up once we get there."

 _We_. Shaking off the weird sense of relief he suddenly felt, Zero raised an eyebrow. "And what's in it for you?"

Jude's shrug was just a little too deliberate. "Percentages, what else?"

Zero raised an eyebrow. "Seriously?" He didn't say _You know you can trust me_. Neither of them ever did, no matter how true it was. It was like they were afraid they'd jinx it if they said it out loud.

Jude went tense a moment. "You know how I've told you about my dad?" When Zero nodded, Jude sighed. "Well, his first name's Oscar."

It took a second for Zero to put the pieces together. " _Oscar Kinkade_?" he hissed. "Your deadbeat asshole of a father _owns_ the L.A. Devils?"

Jude just nodded. "I want in. And there's no way in hell he'll be the one to let me." Jude's jaw tightened. "But Larry's the one who's name will be on the contract. He won't know until it's too late."

Zero watched him, both the anger and hurt in his eyes all too familiar. "Don't just settle for getting in the door." He took another drink. "You want, we can get us _both_ the keys to the kingdom."

Jude couldn't quite keep the hopeful light out of his eyes. "So you're interested?"

Zero pretended to consider it for another moment, even though he already knew his answer. Then a slow grin spread across his face. "It's L.A. How could I not be interested?"

**Author's Note:**

> Come check out my new original fiction on my [blog](http://jennifferwardell.blogspot.com) or say hi to me on [Tumblr](http://sanctuaryforalluniverses.tumblr.com)


End file.
